Chapter Twenty-Three

Memories are Precious Things

Location and Time Unknown

Bobby knew something was wrong, even though everything looked normal. He sat in his office, but couldn't remember what he'd been doing. He also felt completely at ease, which, given his line of work, set off warning bells.

"I should have realized a simple illusion wouldn't satisfy your instincts."

Bobby frowned, trying to place the familiar voice that echoed around him. It didn't sound threatening. In fact, it sounded sad.

"Then why bother?" he demanded. "The hell are you doing in my head?"

Silence stretched on for an uncomfortably long time. A soft breeze blew through the room, filling it with a sweet smell.

"You don't remember?" There was heavy concern in the question. Bobby tried to think of a reason he'd let anything in his head. A splitting headache overcame him, and a flash of fear made him freeze. It felt like lightning struck him, and he gasped. He shot to his feet, frantically looking around the room.

"Azrial? Where are you?"

His panic caused the illusion to shake, like he was standing within a bad video feed.

"Bobby, please calm down," the voice begged. "I'm doing my best to keep my memories separate from yours, but it's difficult."

"You shouldn't be trying shit!" he yelled at the room. "Your vessel was a mess, and I know for a damn fact you're exhausted."

Silence greeted his rant, but the room seemed to steady around him. A sudden warmth filled the room, and Bobby spun around to face his desk. Crowley was in his chair with his hands up.

"Blame Azrial," Crowley said. "She - well, called for me seems like a piss poor explanation."

"How the hell are you in here?" Bobby growled, trying to keep from lashing out. Crowley looked uncomfortable, and clearly didn't want to be in this situation. He'd give him the benefit of the doubt, for now.

"Argan broke your anti-possession warding," Crowley said. "The only reason he didn't possess you-"

"Was the ring," Azrial's voice echoed around the room. "Crowley can only be here because my grace is…compatible with his energy."

"Where are you?" Bobby demanded, looking around. "What's with this PA system bullshit?"

A notable sigh filled the room. "I can't spend the energy to make myself appear normal. I'd have to drop this illusion, and even then I think I'd struggle. That's why I wanted Crowley here."

"What am I, a glorified battery?" Crowley huffed.

"In this case, yes," Azrial flatly informed them. "I need you to keep this illusion going while I rest. The sooner I build up my strength, the sooner I can get out of Bobby's body."

"I appreciate the faith you have in me, angel, but I don't think I can keep your memories at bay."

Crowley's soft admission made the room shake, and Bobby could hear Azrial's deep sigh.

"Dammit. I was counting on that."

"Can't you just…" Bobby trailed off.

"Just what?" Crowley asked curiously.

"Look, it's just an idea," he said firmly. "Don't you go pushing her to do it if she doesn't want to." Crowley raised an eyebrow at his defensive tone, but simply hummed in understanding. "Azrial, why can't you focus on happier memories? That way, you can drop this illusion and still rest."

Silence met his suggestion. Bobby wondered if he'd overstepped, especially considering what had happened in Japan. There was also the fact that Crowley was here, and Azrial had been very upfront about how they kept things to themselves.

"If I tried that, you realize they'd be about the Valerius family, don't you?" Azrial pointedly asked. "You've been asking about them, and we just returned from the first event I've attended as a Valerius in a long time. Any happy memories I try to drag forward will involve them as I try to focus on the good that came out of the auction."

"Shall I leave?"

Crowley's question held nothing but respect, and Bobby smiled weakly at him. He knew they both respected the other's privacy, probably more than most humans would.

"Stay," Azrial said. "If you want."

Crowley glanced at him next, and Bobby raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"It is your head, pet. Are you okay with me staying?"

Bobby swallowed back the wave of emotion at Crowley's concern. He knew Azrial wasn't in the place to be concerned, and it impressed him she'd manage to buffer things as much as she did.

"I'd like you to stay too," he admitted. "Tonight was hard on all of us."

"You heard the man," Crowley said. "Take us on a trip down memory lane."

"Any requests?" Azrial tentatively asked. Bobby's curiosity came back full force, and he thought back to their conversation at the Aman.

"The day you got shot with the arrow."

Crowley raised an eyebrow at him, and a quiet laugh filled the room. "Very well, hunter, enjoy the show."

The room seemed to be blown away as a sweet-scented breeze passed by, and Bobby found himself in a forest. The chair Crowley was on didn't vanish until the demon stood up. Movement in the trees drew Bobby's gaze, and he saw a doe grazing. The sound of twigs snapping on his right made him turn, and he practically jumped in shock. Crouched in the bushes was a practically black wolf. He wouldn't have even seen the damn thing if it weren't for its bright silver eyes.

"Wait," Bobby muttered. "What wolf has silver eyes?"

"One that isn't actually a wolf," Crowley said dryly.

Bobby didn't get the chance to respond, because the wolf took the chance to launch at the doe. It would have been a clean kill, but an arrow came whizzing out from behind them. The wolf let out a pained yelp, falling to the ground as the doe went running from the clearing. It took Bobby a second to realize that the arrow also would have been a clean kill, and he spun around to find the source. He didn't have to wait long as a young man in a tunic with gladius strapped to his hip came crashing through the clearing. He couldn't be older than Sam, and he looked terrified when he saw the wolf struggling to stand. The arrow had embedded right in the shoulder joint of its front leg, making it near impossible to stand.

Bobby didn't get the chance to respond, because the wolf took the chance to launch at the doe. It would have been a clean kill, but an arrow came whizzing out from behind them. The wolf let out a pained yelping, falling to the ground as the doe went running from the clearing. It took Bobby a second to realize that the arrow also would have been a clean kill, and he spun around to try and find the source. He didn't have to wait long as a young man in a tunic with gladius strapped to his hip came crashing through the clearing. He couldn't be older than Sam, and he looked down right terrified when he saw the wolf struggling to stand. The arrow had embedded right in the shoulder joint of its front leg, making it near impossible to stand.

The wolf growled as the man tossed down his bow to approach. "I can help you," the man intoned. "Let me help."

The wolf eyed the man for several seconds, before giving a tiny huff and laying down. The man slowly approached the wolf, who just turned away from him with disinterest. It took a while, but soon the arrow slipped out of the wolf's shoulder with minimal damage. The man looked relieved, but it was short-lived as the wolf pinned him down with a furious growl. The man froze, his hand wrapped around the hilt of his sword. With a final furious growl, the wolf removed its paws from the man's chest and took off into the woods.

"By the gods," the man sighed. "Giaus will never believe this."

The surrounding forest spun, and suddenly they were standing on a hill overlooking a battlefield. The wolf sat, watching the carnage below with sharp eyes. Bobby frowned, wondering what this had to do with the prior scene. Crowley was watching the battle with a calculating eye, and then snorted.

"Romans and Gauls," he pointed out. "This battle was likely a bloodbath."

"Why show us then?" Bobby asked, walking to stand next to the wolf to follow its line of sight. He was still skeptical that the overly enormous wolf was Azrial, but the way Crowley spoke, the demon thought it was.

"Will you simply stand here and watch?"

Bobby practically jumped out of his skin as Death appeared on the wolf's other side. The animal growled softly, making Death snort.

"You realize he will die today, do you not?"

The wolf's ear twitched, its claws digging into the dirt. Death glanced down with a pointed look. "That is, if someone does not interfere. I doubt the effectiveness of an animal in that chaos, though."

The wolf gave Death a dirty look, but still stood up from its seated position and began pacing. Screams and the clashing of metal echoed from below, underlying Crowley's statement from earlier. Bobby knew enough about Roman history at this point to understand the bitter divide between the Romans and Gauls.

"I understand it is easier to keep this form, to pretend things are as simple as the animal that makes up your second face." The wolf snarled at Death, clearly not pleased with the observation. "Growling at me does not change the truth, child. Have you even taken on a human form in the past ten years?"

The growl this time was louder, and Death sighed. "I am not forcing you to make a choice, simply pointing out that some interaction may do you good. Then again, perhaps you like this form more." Death turned to leave. "Send all these souls on before you leave the area."

The wolf, who Bobby now had to admit was Azrial, turned back toward the battle. She seemed to zero in on something, and let out a sound that even in this form sounded frustrated. She took off down the hill and Bobby went to move only for the scene to shift and drop them in the middle of the battle. A sword passed right through his chest, and he cursed loudly.

"You wanted to see this," Crowley gleefully pointed out.

"I didn't expect to be on a damn battlefield," he snapped.

He glanced around, trying to locate Azrial, but he lost the wolf in the sea of fighters. They were near a soldier, dressed more ornately than the others, clearly marking him as the leader. It took Bobby a second to realize it was the young man from the forest, fighting for his life against three other opponents. Somehow, the crazy bastard was holding his own. A fourth came from behind, and Bobby braced himself for the inevitable. A black blur flew past the soldier, impacting the enemy who'd been about to stab him in the back. Azrial's fangs sunk into the downed man's neck before he retaliated, and she launched herself at one of the other men. Suddenly the focus was off the leader, who looked as shocked at the intervention as his enemies, and onto the obviously pissed off she-wolf. She brought down another man, ripping his jugular out with a vicious snarl.

He glanced around, trying to locate Azrial, but he lost the wolf in the sea of fighters. They were near a soldier, dressed more ornately than the others, clearly marking him as the leader. It took Bobby a second to realize it was the young man from the forest, fighting for his life against three other opponents. Somehow, the crazy bastard was holding his own. A fourth came from behind, and Bobby braced himself for the inevitable. A black blur flew past the soldier, impacting the enemy who'd been about to stab him in the back. Azrial's fangs sunk into the downed man's neck before he retaliate, and she launched herself at one of the other men. Suddenly the focus was off the leader, who looked as shocked at the intervention as his enemies, and onto the obviously pissed off she-wolf. She brought down another man, ripping his jugular out with a vicious snarl.

"And here I thought she couldn't be more attractive," Crowley said from his side. Bobby rolled his eyes at the demon's pleased tone.

"Only you," he huffed. A yelp drew his attention back to the fight, and Bobby's eyes widened at the massive gash across Azrial's flank. She was still standing, but blood was pooling down her side. The leader slammed his spear through the last opponent, and a distant horn sounded. Azrial was panting, looking around for an enemy. Noticing there were none, she laid down on the bloody ground with a pained whine. The memory became hazy around them, and then suddenly everything went dark.

"Two scars for the price of one." Azrial's voice echoed around them as things slowly came back into focus. "Shall I continue?"

"You damn well better," Crowley huffed. "Can't just leave us on a cliffhanger."

"Needy," she chuckled. "Enjoy, I'll be resting. Bobby, don't forget this is your head. You can stop what's happening, even though they are my memories."

Bobby hummed, and he could feel Azrial retreating from them. The world around them slowly came back into focus, and Bobby blinked in surprise. They were in a tent, a rather lavish one that spoke of rank, and Azrial's she-wolf form was curled up on a blanket. Her side was newly bandaged, and it looked like she was slowly waking up. The tent opened, admitting the leader and an older man, who glanced at the wolf with a raised eyebrow.

"We have pushed them back," the elder reported. "Holding this position is easy now, and I suggest we do. We took many losses during that skirmish."

"I agree," the leader sighed. "Can you check if we have spare meat? I will hunt if not."

"The wolf will probably pass," the elder said. "Are you sure you want to expand the resources?"

"Yes," the leader snapped. "It could have killed me twice now, and instead saved me. Is that not the gods in action? What type of fool would I be not to render it aid?"

"As you wish," the elder said. "May I speak freely?"

The leader sighed, falling on his cot with a sigh. "When have you not, Giaus?"

Bobby raised an eyebrow, realizing this was the man the soldier had spoken of in the woods. If he had to guess, Giaus was close to his age, which was damn impressive considering the man's physique.

"What are you hoping to accomplish, Marcus? I doubt tending to the wolf will save its life. I understand your desire, but I worry you are becoming attached to it."

"Son of a bitch," Bobby muttered. "She flat out told me his name!"

"Oh?" Crowley's curiosity made Bobby sigh.

"Roman naming conventions are rigid. For example: if a father was named Marcus, and he had a daughter, it was likely that daughter would be named Marcia. That being the feminine version of the praenomen Marcus."

"This is what you get for being openly interested," Crowley pointed out. "She was trying to throw you tidbits, and now that you know what's going on you're going to be frustrated you didn't guess sooner."

"Gotta love hindsight," Bobby huffed. He glanced back at Marcus curiously. His young age was offputting, but made sense, given the time. It also really pushed home how long Azrial must have spent with him.

"Just go," Marcus sighed, drawing Bobby's attention back to the memory. "It is in the hands of the gods now."

Giaus sighed, but bowed his head respectfully before exiting the tent. Marcus glanced at Azrial, whose silver eyes were now peering curiously at him. He relaxed on the bed, raising an eyebrow in response.

"So, exactly what are you?" The pointed question made Azrial blink, and Marcus sighed. "You are not a normal wolf. Any fool could tell that. So, that leaves a short list of possibilities."

Azrial let out a tiny huff, slowly standing up. She took a tentative step, her front legs still shaking. Marcus watched her carefully, but Azrial didn't seem bothered as she slowly walked around the tent.

"If I guess, will you tell me?"

It seemed Marcus had the same curiosity that had gotten Bobby into this situation. Azrial stopped walking and gave a soft growl in acknowledgment.

"A demigod," Marcus shot off. Azrial let out a tiny huff that clearly was a snort of laughter as she resumed pacing the tent.

"I have heard of shapeshifters to the north," Marcus mused. "Creatures the Gauls speak of."

Another snort, and Marcus frowned in thought. "Are you female?"

Azrial stopped pacing and glanced at Marcus. She slowly nodded, her ears twitching at the movement. Their eyes stayed locked for a moment, and Marcus inhaled sharply.

"A goddess. You are a goddess, are you not? If I had to guess, one that serves Pluto."

Azrial blinked slowly, before a strange sound exited her throat. It was clear she was trying to laugh, but her current form wasn't capable. Slowly, she nodded her head, sitting down. Marcus stared at her, clearly in shock at the admission.

"Then why save me?" he whispered. "I would not have survived that fight without your intervention."

Azrial shifted, clearly uncomfortable with the observation. She glanced pointedly at the tent, and Marcus seemed to understand. He stood up, walking toward the tent and ducked his head outside and shouted, but the fabric muffled it. He stepped back in and glanced back at Azrial.

"Should I turn away?"

Azrial gave a small huff, clearly amused by the question. She shut her eyes, and the shadows around the tent seemed to creep toward her. It blacked out her form before they began shifting into a taller form. The shadows slowly melted away, and Bobby stared in shock.

She looked similar, but clearly younger. She looked around Marcus's age, clad in a black stola that hung loosely around her body. From the skin he could see, the only scar she had was the one on her shoulder. The scar from the arrow Marcus had hit her with in the forest.

"I thought - does your vessel age?" Bobby demanded. Crowley was looking at Azrial strangely, and slowly nodded.

"If we allow it. Helps stop suspicion, but I've heard of angels and demons alike keeping a vessel at the same age. This is a big change. She looks twenty, and that's generous. Hell, she could probably pass as 18."

"And lately, you've noticed her aging too, right?"

"Yes. She looks to be in her late thirties now, maybe early forties. Stunning and in great health, of course," Crowley added. "But older. It's around the eyes, the face, hell I think I saw a few gray feathers and hairs. I just assumed she was allowing time to catch up a bit."

"Well?" Azrial asked, breaking their conversation. Marcus shook his head, clearly surprised. Slowly he fell to one knee with his head bowed, and Azrial looked startled.

"My deepest apologies for injuring you, my lady, and stealing your kill in the forest that day."

"It was fine," Azrial finally said. "My shoulder healed."

"It was still a sin to harm you," Marcus said. "And yet you saved my life today. Anything you wish of me, I will give you."

Azrial blushed and glanced around the tent in thought. "Anything?" she tentatively asked.

"Anything," Marcus firmly replied. "I owe you my life."

"I would like…" Azrial hesitated and Marcus glanced up. Their eyes met again, and Azrial's blush seemed to intensify. "I would like a friend."

Bobby could see the uncertainty clear on her face, and Marcus slowly stood up. The man seemed to realize she would not kill him for acting normal. Azrial smiled tentatively, dipped her head in greeting.

"My name is Azrial. You were close in your guess, but Pluto actually works for my Creator. I serve Death, helping Him fary souls to the afterlife."

Marcus did a damn good job of hiding his shock at that little revelation, though Bobby took solace in the fact it seemed Azrial had been dumping news like that on people for millennia. At least Marcus had some damn warning.

"It is a pleasure to meet you…Azrial?" She smiled brightly, and Marcus fully relaxed. "My name is Marcus Valerius. I command the 17th legion of Rome's mighty army."

"Can you tell me about it?" she asked with open curiosity, stepping closer to the man. "I have spent the past decade as a wolf, so I could be wrong, but are you not young to have your own legion?"

"Good question," Crowley chuckled, as Marcus blushed. "He must be a prodigy of sorts, or someone desperately wants him dead."

"Poor bastard," Bobby sighed. "Can't be easy to handle at his age."

"Things were different back then," Crowley said. "Even when I was alive, he'd already be settled with a family. These are the front lines though, they only sent you here for two reasons: to win or die."

"I am," Marcus admitted softly. "If you like, my paedagogus is older and serves under me now. If you would like specific information, I could fetch him for you."

"But I would rather spend time with you."

"Good lord, she's as naïve as Castiel was," Bobby chuckled. Marcus looked startled at her open admission, but there was a pleased gleam in his eyes.

"Everyone starts somewhere," Crowley snorted. "It's almost adorable, in a way."

"Well, you are welcome to come to me anytime," Marcus said. Azrial's smile was so large, Bobby was sure it could light up a room. The scene faded around them, and he caught sight of Marcus's small smile before the scene fully vanished.

"I can't believe she's showing us this," Bobby said after a moment.

"You asked her." Crowley made it sound like the most obvious thing, and Bobby thought back to what Rowen had said in Rome. He hadn't believed the man when he said Azrial was treating him differently. Now, though, he knew it was true.

"You realize what she's showing us, right?" Bobby asked. Crowley shrugged with a small frown.

"A past relationship?"

"You really have no EQ," Bobby chuckled. "No you idjit, she's showing us the first time she fell in love."

Just like she'd said she would, Bobby thought with a smile as the scene came back together. The trust she was showing him and Crowley was astounding, and he silently promised to pay it back.

The next update is Saturday, June 11, 2022